Temecula Sunrise
by Byukio
Summary: Having to attend one of the number clubs birthday's had got Mizael thinking, did they have birthdays? Mizael doesn't exactly remember his past birthday, it doesn't matter anyway, it's in the past after all, in the end he decides to chose when his birthday is and Durbe and the rest of them do their best to make it happen.


**A/N: I guess this has a post-canon setting, yes! And I like the idea of the barians not remembering their past birthdays, so, and I've had this idea for quite a while, and considering it's my birthday, I figured I'd treat myself to it, and what not. And seeing as, as far as I know the barians birthdays aren't known so? **

**Characters: Mizael, Kaito, Takashi, Yuma, The Numbers Club(Mentions), Ryoga, Rio, Durbe, Gilag, Alit, Haruto, Orbital, Vector.**

**Pairing: Slight Kaito/Mizael. (Did you expect any less?)**

**Anyway, enjoy ~!**

* * *

Mizael hadn't put much thought into birthdays, mainly because he didn't understand the concept, he had only recently learned about them when he had attended one.

Pretty much all of Yuma's friends were forced to go, which included Nasch—no, Ryoga, right he was Ryoga now, though nothing would stop Durbe from calling him Nasch.

Either way because Ryoga attended, they had to as well. Mizael didn't see the big deal, or why these were needed, he knew in a way that Ryoga too had a birthday, he wondered if the rest of them did, though, even if they did, he certainly couldn't remember.

After all, it was something so long ago, and forgotten. It was one of those number club fellows birthday, if Mizael remembers at all, he thinks it was Takashi's birthday?

It was interesting, Yuma even got Kaito to attend such a small thing, alright, maybe not small, certainly not because when Yuma throws a party, it's never small, he just has to invite nearly everyone he knows.

Mizael wasn't one for parties; he mainly hung out in the corner, every now and then mingling when Durbe made him, he always found his way back to that corner, he still didn't understand the point of this. "Not enjoying the party?"

Kaito

"It's boring and uninteresting," Mizael tells him, and Kaito just smirks in a way, he figured as much, he doesn't find parties to be that exciting either.

"Don't the rest of you have birthdays, Ryoga has one," Kaito says and though he isn't sure if the rest of them have birthdays or remember them at all, he wouldn't expect them to. "I don't remember, Kaito, what is the purpose of a birthday?"

"For you to get older, age, what else is there?" Kaito doesn't understand what is the big deal with birthdays either, it's just another day to get older, though to Yuma, it's different, and it's a special day, something to be fawned over for a few hours.

It's nice, but, Kaito prefers to keep his own birthdays to a minimal, fewer people the better, he'd rather spend it in quiet, not in constant noise and fuss.

"Do you think I have a birthday Kaito?" and the question catches Kaito off guard, how is he to know something like that?

"How would I know? That's something you should know." Mizael can't really remember such a thing, not like the past is worth remembering to him, he's here now and that's all that really matters to him, here he has friends, and it's better.

So what if he can't remember his birthday?

"Kaito what day is it tomorrow?" Mizael finds himself asking and Kaito tells him it'll be July 7th. "I'll see you tomorrow to tell you of something important."

"What's so important that you can't tell me now?" Kaito asks but of course Mizael insists that it's worth waiting until tomorrow, whatever, he won't trouble himself of wondering what it is.

Mostly for the rest of the party they remained quiet, occasionally doing things if they were dragged over.

Mizael guesses parties are interesting at least, eventually the party ends, he gets to listen to Durbe talk about how he danced with Ryoga, and how Alit enjoyed the games they had, and Gilag enjoyed singing along in the karaoke, but Vector however, Vector.. he broke Takashi's lamp trying to play one of the games.

Mizael doesn't doubt that it was on purpose, Vector and parties do not make a good mix after all, the only thing he wants to do is cause trouble, or not be there at all, that's one thing he could agree on with Vector at least, oh well, it was over.

Rio mostly hung out with Kotori as far as he knows, he didn't really pay attention, but Gilag went on about how the two sung a nice duet, so he guesses they did.

Though, Mizael does have something interesting to share with Kaito tomorrow, and he absolutely can't wait, he thinks he'll mention it to Durbe too, maybe.

Eventually all the barians arrived back at the Kamishiro mansion, worn out from a party that most of them were forced to go to, Mizael would certainly consider it forced, maybe Vector too, Mizael finds himself following Durbe down one of the halls.

Durbe eventually noticed him and muttered "Yes, Mizael?"

"Durbe, that party, it got me wondering, do you remember your own birthday?" and sadly, Durbe didn't either, disappointing. "I do not, why?"

"Hm, my birthday is tomorrow then!" Mizael proclaimed proudly and Durbe stared at him awkwardly. "I don't believe that's how those things work."

"Nonsense, it works perfectly well," Mizael tells him before scampering off to his own room, Durbe again just shakes his head and sighs, whatever made Mizael happy, he wouldn't bother arguing, it wasn't doing any harm anyway.

In a way, Mizael was right, it wasn't like they really remembered their old birthdays, fine, he'd act like it was Mizael's birthday, no, not act, it _was_.

A smile tugs at Durbe's face, tomorrow was Mizael's birthday, he'd prepare something for him when he woke up, tell the rest of them that it was Mizael's birthday.

After all he hadn't seen Mizael be so passionate about anything in so long, though he could barely tell, he knew Mizael well, he could tell when he was excited about something. He trailed down the hall to his own room.

Most of the barians had gone to sleep, or were trying at the very least, but not Mizael, not yet, he just had to call Kaito up on his duel gazer and tell him; he'd rather not wait. "Kaito!" he seemed far too excited for his own good, Kaito grumbled "What..? It's almost midnight, what can you possibly want?"

"It's my birthday tomorrow," Mizael tells him, and Kaito thinks he's joking but that expression of innocence, he's not joking. "No it's not, go to sleep, Mizael."

"But it is, I decide that tomorrow is my birthday, very simple," Mizael said quite pleased in saying so, Kaito, not so much. "That isn't how that works."

"Says who?" Mizael continues to ask; he doesn't see the problem, not like he remembers his past birthday, what's the big deal? "Fine, how old are you?"

"How old are _you_?" Mizael just has to repeat Kaito's question to him, a long sigh is Kaito's reply as he answers the blonde. "Eighteen, now how old are _you_?"

"Do I make up an age?" Mizael asked in such an innocent tone, he was serious, Kaito groaned, he couldn't believe he was having a conversation like this.

"Well, being as I am the true galaxy eye user, I should be older than you," Mizael says and Kaito wants to point out how that isn't how age works, but technically Mizael is older than him, centuries older, being how he was a former barian and all.

"What age did you give the school when you enrolled?" Kaito asks him and he doubts that any of them gave an age, just showed up, he isn't really sure.

"Sixteen, that's what Ryoga told us to say, at least Durbe and I, not sure about the rest," Mizael says and by that logic, at least to Kaito through all this nonsense, that would make Mizael, seventeen.

"Then you'll be seventeen tomorrow, now go to sleep," Kaito hisses, he would like to go to sleep after all, but of course before Kaito hangs up Mizael has something to say. "You'll be there to wish me a happy birthday, right?"

"I don't enjoy noisy parties, and we all know your former barian friends are a noisy bunch, but, for you, I'll make an exception," Kaito says as he hangs up.

It left Mizael a bit confused, but grateful, he isn't sure why his face feels hot.

Either way he puts his duel gazer away, he buries himself in the sheets of his bed, and as excited as he is, he falls asleep quicker then he thought he would.

* * *

It feels like he had barely fallen asleep, but some sort of light is shining in through his room, whoever opened his curtains is an absolute nuisances, he grumbles as he rubs his eyes, not quite wanting to get up, even if it is his birthday, he's tired.

"Well, well, good morning, Miza-chan ~" and Mizael recognizes that annoying voice, Vector, how pleasant, he's bringing him, breakfast in bed? That's something he never would have expected, at least not from Vector of all people.

"_What_? Surprised? Durbe told me it's your birthday, so I thought I should go out of my way to make you something," Vector said though Mizael still doubted his intentions, and of course Vector can tell something is off in a way.

"Don't trust me? They're perfectly edible, they're just little cupcakes, Durbe watched me make them, does that make you feel better?" Vector huffed and in a way it does, Vector did have an excellent set of cooking skills, he just always expected the worst of him, maybe he had gotten better, maybe.

"You gonna take a bite of these or not?" and so the blonde quickly grabbed one with white frosting, taking a quick bite, it was actually, well, good.

"You're actually a good cook when you aren't trying to cause trouble with it," Mizael said and of course Vector smiles and laughs, "I try, I really do."

Vector noticed how the blonde nearly went back to sleeping, and he nudged him lightly "Don't tell me you're going back to sleep? It's nine in the morning, also, someone dropped by, wouldn't keep them waiting, they seem bored."

"And what do you mean by that?" Mizael asked as he tilted his head in slight curiosity, and Vector grins before telling him that a dragon had come to visit him.

Mizael grumbles, he doesn't get what that's supposed to mean in the least.

"Just get out of bed already, would you?" Vector huffed in irritation as he exited Mizael's room.

Fine, Mizael was still groggy but he got out of bed, headed towards the living room, and sure enough, he found the guest Vector had mentioned.

"Kaito? Why are you—" Mizael doesn't even get to finish asking his question before Kaito hushes him and tells him it was Haruto's idea. "Where is he?"

"Haruto was helping Alit and Gilag set up streamers, and Orbital was helping hang them, last I saw at least," Kaito huffed crossing his arms the best he could in such a silly outfit. "Yes, but why are you in a dragon suit?"

"I told you, Haruto insisted, you aren't complaining are you? You do like dragons after all," Kaito said and though he protested against wearing such a thing, Haruto told him it'd be the best gift, he isn't sure how this is a gift at all.

"Mizael! Nii-san dressed up like that just for you, isn't it nice?" Haruto said with a smile and Mizael could only laugh, it certainly was, he never thought he'd see that, not ever, it was truly a gift in its own way. "But! That's not his only gift!"

Kaito raised an eye at Haruto, what else did he have in mind? "It isn't?" Kaito said quite confused by sudden outburst, Haruto just gave a nod.

"Happy Birthday, Mizael!" Haruto shouted in excitement and turned the blonde toward the streamers that said exactly the same thing, but in sparkly yellow letters, he was sure he had Durbe to thank for putting this all together.

Haruto scampered off for a moment to go see if Orbital was done arranging things, this left Mizael to finally ask a question that was on his mind.

"So, we all know you would never wear anything like that, is it really all Haruto's idea?" Mizael asked with curiosity and pet the hood of the dragon costume.

"Not necessarily all his," Kaito said as he huffed and Mizael honestly wondered why, did he really dress up in such a ridiculous thing just for him?

"It made you laugh at the very least did it not?" and Mizael guesses it did, it wasn't every day you got to see your rival in such a costume after all.

"What an interesting gift," Mizael said as he had ceased in petting the hood of the costume, Kaito attempted to mimic that of a dragon roar, Mizael only laughed.

"Committed to the part?" he found himself asking, and Kaito told him this wasn't his gift, though it was a laughable one. "Then what is it?"

"Gifts are surprises aren't they? You'll just have to wait till it's time to open the rest of them," Kaito told him and Mizael simply shrugged, whatever.

Eventually their chatting is interrupted, only because Durbe calls them to the living room, and he's surprised when all the barians are huddled together near a small cake and wishing him happy birthday, parties really are great he decides.

Only if they're with people you care about of course, he likes it. "Blow out your candles and make a wish why don't you?" Vector tells him, and oh, right, that's what you're supposed to do with those things, he quickly blew them out.

"What did you wish for?" Haruto asked and Mizael tilted his head "You're supposed to wish for something?"

"Mizael!" a few of the barians who seemed to understand birthday rituals exclaimed his name, and he laughed, he was kidding, he did wish for something, as far as he knows, it won't come true if he tells them, at least that's what he's heard.

"So, how do you feel about it all?" Durbe asked and Mizael thought it was nice, he enjoyed it so far, and it was great. "Pleasant, the cake is a nice touch."

"Ah, yes, it has Tachyon on it, figured you'd like it," Durbe said which is exactly why he had Vector make it that way. Mizael nodded as he was elbowed by Alit.

"You should see your gifts! We did pretty well on short notice." Mizael ended up being dragged toward the living room, Ryoga leaning against the wall with a somewhat noticeable smile.

"Happy Birthday, Mizael," Rio said as she handed him a small squishy dragon toy, she picked it up at one of those cheap stores, it was all on short notice after all, he isn't complaining though, any gift is nice after all.

"Open this one!" Alit shoved the box toward the blonde, Mizael eyed it over, quickly tearing off the wrapping, a little clock. "It glows at night."

Well, they certainly picked unique gifts on such short notice; Gilag got him a signed Sanagi Chono poster, well, it was certainly something he expected from Gilag, it must've been hard to part with something he liked as much as that.

Mizael guessed that's what made it special after all, it coming from the heart.

Ryoga and Durbe's gift were in a way combined, they were small crystals, it reminded him of their former home.

"Hey! Hey! Don't forget my gift," Vector said as he handed a neatly wrapped box, Mizael expected the worst to be inside of it, he opened it with caution, he expected something dangerous, it wasn't what he expected at all, not from Vector. "Did you draw this?" It's all Mizael can say through the disbelief.

"Mmhm, sure did," Vector said and of course he'd expect Mizael to be shocked, he guessed nobody knew of his artistic skills, after all, he was bored often not attending school, it gave him time to take up hobbies, some of which happened to be drawing and cooking.

"Yeah, that's you," Vector added in as he pointed at the drawing. "I wasn't aware that you draw." Vector only shrugged, he told Mizael that when you're bored you take up things to entertain yourself.

Mizael expected the art to be more insulting for some reason, no, the reason being that he's Vector of all people.

"Well, thank you," Mizael said as he clutched the drawing.

Vector only nodded, he thought of drawing a mustache to be quite fair, but he resisted.

Mizael found all the gifts to be great, Orbital and Haruto said their gift was having Kaito dress up like that, which in a way was a gift.

Durbe eventually turned on music, though dancing wasn't an idea Mizael had on his mind, he of course found Kaito leaning against the wall like Ryoga had been.

"So, question, what is your gift?" Mizael asked because as far as he knew, that dragon outfit was not his gift, at least not from Kaito. "Dance with me?"

"Dancing isn't my thing," Mizael told him and Kaito could agree there, it wasn't his either. "Well, I guess you'll never get your gift from me then, hm?"

"Fine," Mizael said reluctantly and took Kaito's hand, he never enjoyed dancing, so he wasn't exactly sure how to do it properly. "Never danced before?"

"It isn't of my interest," Mizael replied as Kaito moved the blonde's hands to his shoulders, and Mizael coughed "Are we slow dancing, _why_?"

Kaito didn't respond to Mizael, which only made him complain longer when Kaito put his hands on Mizael's waist.

Or should he say claws with the costume? Either way he laughed mentally at the idea.

"This is embarrassing, no one else is slow dancing, I bet Vector's laughing—"

Kaito eventually cut him off; he told him not to worry about it, that he didn't see the big deal.

If anything Kaito feels he's the one being laughed at, he's in a dragon suit for one, and another, he's dancing in it, slow dancing no less.

Mizael eventually settled down, it wasn't that bad, no one was really laughing anyway, he doesn't understand why he felt embarrassed about it to begin with.

Eventually the song that had played stopped, Kaito took his hands off of Mizael's waist. Mizael didn't understand still what the point of the dancing was.

"What's your gift anyway—" Mizael paused, well it was a forced pause, mainly because Kaito unexpectedly kissed him.

Well, it isn't everyday you can say a dragon kissed you. Kaito pulled away shortly after and muttered "Yeah, Happy Birthday, Mizael."

Mizael's face was a bit flushed, he shot Kaito a glare but muttered thank you under his breath.

Either way he enjoyed his birthday, after all, not everyday you get to see Kaito in such an outfit, or well, receive a kiss from your rival, a unique day.

For something planned at last notice, it turned out very much to his liking, he couldn't have asked for better friends.


End file.
